Apparatus for use in finishing paper



May 12, 1931'. s. w. WEBB ETAL APPARATUS FOR USE IN FINISHING PAPER I 2 Sheets-Sheet l Original Filed March 22 Jbkvz (7. CaZZaw,

y 1931. s. w WEBB ET AL 1,804,483

APPARATUS FOR USE IN FINISHING PAPER Original Filed March 22, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fn/wnhr:

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Patented May 12, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT, OFFICE STUART W. WEBB, OF BROOKLINE, JOHN G. CALLAN, OF CAMBRIDGE, AND ALBERT ALLEN, OF WINCHESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNORS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T0 EASTERN MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A COB- PORATION OF MAINE S FOR USE IN FINISHING PAPER Original application filed March 22, 1926, Serial No. 96,507. Divided and this application filed July 2,

- 1927. Serial No. 203,085. 7

This invention relates to an apparatus for producing a fabric surface on paper in which a continuous web of paper is passed between two endless fabric belts through the nip between presser rolls, and is intended to be used in connection with a machine for this purpose in which one of the rolls is relatively hard and the other relatively soft as set forth in Patent No.

1,277,714 granted Se tember 3,1918, to Eastern Manufacturing ompany as assignee of Henry J. Guild for method and means for finishing paper. The subject matter of this posed relation three rolls 2, 3 an application has been divided out from our application for patent serial No. 96,507, filed March 22, 1926, for method of ,and apparatus for finishing paper. As pointed out in detail in the parent application,-the paper is subjected to the act on of steam immediately before it passes to the nip between the presser rolls and this application is directed to the construction of the steam' box through which the paper passes and wherein this steam treatment is effected. Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a paper finishing machine embodying this invention. Figure 2 is a transverse vertical section through the steamer and adjacent parts.

Figure 3. is a section substantially on line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective of a steam distributor pipe.

Figu e 5 is,a perspective partly broken away 0 the steamer. Figu e 6 is a perspective of thesteamer lining plates.

Figure 7 is a side elevation of a sealing paper threading belt. I

Referring first to Figure 1, at 1 is indicated a stand in whichis journaled in su er- 4. Through the nip between the rolls 2 and 3, which are pressed together with heavy pressure, is assed a pair of fabric belts 5 and 6, one of t ese rolls, as 3, being relatively soft and the other being relatively hard. The belt 5 is shown as passed about the roll 2 past a belt-steering mechanism 8 and over a head roll 9, the tension of the belt being slide 18 which is urged away from the roller stand as by means of a weight 19 similarly to the upper slide 10.

The paper to be finished is shown as in a roll 20 and is led from this roll about a guide roll 21, vertically through a steam box indicated generally at 22, about a roll 23 and from thence is guided to the nip between the rolls 2 and 3 between the confronting stretches of the belts 5 and 6. It will thus be seen that the paper .passes through the steam box on its wa to the nips between the rolls 2 and 3 an these rolls travel at a sufliciently high rate so that the time elapsing between'the emergence of the paper from the steam box and its passage through the nip is very short preferably not over two or three seconds.

The steam box itself comprises an outer casin 30 which may be made of waterproo ed wood, and withinthis casing, and spaced therefrom lengthwise thereof, is a metal inner lining. This lining is shown ends 33 converging toward the outlet opening for the paper. These plates 31 terminate somewhat within end plates 35 of the steamer, as shown best in Figure 5,'so that steam admitted between them in the manner presently to be described may escape about their ,sends and pass between them and the casing 30 by which means they are maintained hot so that after the first few minutes of operation the moisture from the steam is not condensed thereon. The outer casing 30 is provided with a slot 36 forthe passage of the 'sheet of paper into the steamer and strips 37 along opposite edges thereof form' supports to receive the lower rounded faces of the plates 33. Extending within the plates above these faces and within the looped lower portions thereof are positioned the steam distributor pipes 40. Each of these pipes is provided with a longitudinally extending s 0t 41 opening into the space defined by the lower curved portion of the corresponding plate 33, these pipes being positioned substantially concentrically of these spaces. Positioned on these pipes beyond the extremities of the slot 41 are collars 42 between which the end plates are clamped. v

Arranged concentrically within the distributor pipes are the steam mains 46. These mains extend forwardly from one end only of the distributor pipes and are perforated at intervals as at 47 to permit the steam to escape therefrom into the annular space between them and the inner faces of the distributor pipes from which the steam escapes through the slots 41 into the steamer within the plates 33. If desired the collars 42 may engage the end plates 35 with sufficient looseness so that the distributor pipes 40 may be rotarily adjusted so as to permit the slot 41 to be directed in the best possible direction for the particular installation as may be determined by experiment. The pipes 46 as shown lead to a main steam sup- P y p 0- In order' that there may be no drip of condensed steam which shall reach the web of paper passing up through the steamer, the entrance, and exit openings for the paper are partially closed off by heated members such as shown in detail in Figure 7. Each of these members comprises a main pipe 51 to which is fixed spaced T fittings 52' which join through elbows 53 with a pipe '54 extending parallel to and spaced from pipe 51. The ends of the plates 31 are preferably bent over to partially engage about the pipes 51 and 54 and the plane of the central axes of these pipes is arranged at such an angle to the passa e of the paper that the paper passes there etween and together therewith substantially seals the entrance and exit openings through which'the paper passes. These pipes are connected through pipe connections 55 and 56 with the main steam lines, and for the purpose of removing condensation therefrom, the opposite ends of the pipes 51 and 54 are shown as connected to the pipe 57 which leads to a suitable exhaust or condensation device (not shown). Thus the paper passes between members which act to substantially seal off the interior of the steamer but which are maintained heated so that there is no tendency for steam to be condensed thereon and to drip onto the paper, thepaper as it asses through the steamer being supported y the wooden rolls 21 and 23 and maintained in a substantially vertical planethrough the steamer. Preferably the pipe 54 is so connected to the pipe 51'as to permit the angularity of the planes of the axes of these two pipes to be adjusted to suit the paper passing therethrough, the pipes on the opposite side of the web being relatively offset lengthwise thereof, permitting as close a sealing contact as may be necessary without actually causing contact to be made therebetween. At 60 is shown the steam ex- .haust which communicates with the space between the plates 31 and the outer lining walls 61 of the casing 30. 7

During the operation of the machine the paper passes rapidly from the roll 20 about the guide roll 21 and through, the steamer.

space, the paper then being relatively cold and acting to immediately condense moisture from the steam thereon which remains on or substantially near the surface of the paper on both sides-until such time as the nishing has been accomplished. The

amount of moisture distributed on the paper depends on the proportion of steam tov air in the casing which, in turn, is dependent on the rate to which the steam is supplied thereto. The amount of moisture deposited is dependent upon the ratio between the steam and the air for the reason that the surface condensation of the moisture causes the air adjacent to the surface to be freed from its moisture which thereupon acts as a heat insulator and prevents further condensation thereon. The supply of steam is so adjusted by suitable valves as to sufliciently moisten both sides of the paper. equally, which is shown by absence of any tendency for it to curl. As soon as it as passed through this steamer the paper passes to and through the nip between the relatively hard and soft rolls and between the fabric impression belts so that the desired fabric finish is imparted thereto.

In order that the initial threading of the paper through the steamer may be readily effected, means for drawing the paper through the steamer may be provided. As shown in Figures 2 3,5 and 8 this means may comprise an endless belt 65 which passes through the steam space within the steamer and returns outside of the casing. This belt is preferably formed of two layers of material as at 66, 67 which are stitched together at intervals at 68 to form loop portions which may be separated to permit the insertion of'the end of a web of paper, this end bein somewhat crumpled and passed through between the two belts between the stitching so that the belts tend to rip this end portion. The operator may t en. pull the belt around by hand and draw the paper through the steamer. has been accomplished the end portion o f the paper engaged with the belt may be torn After the threadin tacle:

OE and the belt moved to one side where it is out of contact with the paper being fed through.

1 and out of said receptacle, sealing elements positioned in pairs on opposite faces of the web at said openings, the elements of each pair being relativel ofiset lengthwise of the web, and means or directing steam into said caslng.

2. A steam box comprising a receptacle having openings through which a continuous vweb of paper may be passed into and out of said receptacle, sealing elements positioned in pairs on opposite faces of the web at said openings, the elements of each pair being -relatively ofi'set lengthwise of the web, means for directing steam into said casing, and means for heating said elements to prevent condensation of steam thereon.

3. A steam box comprising a receptacle having vertically arranged alined openings through .which a web of paper may be passed into and out of said receptacle, sealing elements on opposite sides of the web at said openings, steam pipes extending through said receptacle on each side of'the web, andhaving web, and having openings through which steam may pass into said "receptacle, and means for controlling the admission of steam to said steam pipes.

4. A steam box comprising areceptacle having vertically arranged alined openings through which a web of paper may be passe into and out of said receptacle, sealing elements on opposite sides of the web at said openings, steam pipes ,extending' through said receptacle on each side of the openings through the sides thereof, means or controlling the admission of steam to said steam pipes, and larger pipes inclosing said steam pipes, each of said larger pipes having a longitudinally extending slot through which. steam may pass from said openings into said recep-' 5. steam;boxcomprising a receptacle having vertically arranged alined openi s through which a web of paper may 0 passed intoand out of said receptacle, sealing elments'on opposite sides of the web at said openings, steam pipes :extending through said receptacleon each side of the web, and havin openings through the sides thereof, means %or controlling the admission of steam to said steam pipes, and larger pipes enclosing said steam pipes, each of said larger pipes having a longitudinally extending slot through which steam may pass from said openings into said receptacle, said larger pipes being angularly adjustable to determine the direction of steam admission into said casing relative to the Web.

6. A steam box comprising an upwardly tapered casing opened 'at its top and bottom, a metallic lining section of less length than said casing spaced at opposite sides thereof intermediate its top and bottom, the lower ends of said section being curved toward each other and upwardly to define a slot through which a web of aper'may be brought into said casing to ie passed out through the open top thereof, sealing elements on opposite sides of the web at said top and said slot, a steam pipe lying within the curved lower end of each lining section on opposite sides of the web and having discharge openings arranged longitudinally of said pipes, means for supplying steam to said pipe, and means for exhausting steam from said casing from the space outwardly of said lining sections.

7. A steam box comprising a casing having substantially oppositely disposed slots therein'through which a web of paper may be passed, a metal lining for said casing spaced therefrom, means for directing a web of paper through said casing within said lining, and means for admitting steam within said lining into contact with the paper and between said lining and easing.

8. A steam box comprising a casin having substantially oppositely dispose slots therein through which a web of paper may be passed, a metal lining for said caslng spaced therefrom, means for directing a web of paper through said casing within said lining, means for admitting steam within said lining into contact with the paper and between said lining and casing, and means for substantially sealing said s ots to the paper.

9. A steam box comprising a chamber through which a web of sheet material may be passed, means for conducting hot vapor to the interior of said chamber, and means v for heating the walls of said chamber to prevent the condensation of vapor thereon. In testimony whereof we have aflixed our 

